Linda Ashman
Children's Book Author

Long, long ago, when your papa was king,
With a fabulous castle and throne,
He spent every day chasing dragons away
And ruled the whole world on his own.

His clothing was splendid.
His carriage was gold.
His gardens and stables a sight to behold.
And yet, despite all the fine things that he had,
He sometimes felt lonely and sad.

Even a king can feel sad.


I wrote this book when Jackson was very small, still marvelling at the miracle of parenthood (okay, I still do that). I'd hold him in my arms or look at his sweet sleeping face, and hear the refrain "what could be better than this?" To which the answer was always "nothing is better than this."

As any parent will tell you, having a child is a transformative experience. Your priorities change; the center of the universe shifts to this tiny being who relies on you for everything. And who, eventually, takes your hand--and with slow, unsteady steps--shows you a brand new world. Actually, it's the same imperfect world it always was, but you see it in an entirely different and magical way through the grace of your new tour guide.

Linda Wingerter is an incredibly talented artist, and her paintings for this book are gorgeous. I love how the deep, royal palette she uses in the beginning of the book softens into equally rich but more muted tones with the arrival of the baby. For more information about Linda and her beautiful books, click on the link below: